Mechanical refrigerating system



= Feb. 23, 1932.

s. M. MARTIN 1,846,131

MECHANICAL REFRIGERATING SYSTEM FiledDec. 51. 1928 2 Shets-Sheet 1 1 i 2.. f1 FT /2 Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT srnrnnn m. MARTIN, or imrnenron'r, OONNEQTiGUT, ASSIGNOR, BY unsafe Assien MENTS, r0 JULIUS r. HOLMES, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

mncnamcnr. nnrnmnna'rme SYSTEM Application filed December 3 1, 1928. Serial 110.8%,482.

This invention relates to mechanical refrigeration systems and particularly to chilling units for use in the same.

This invention has for its object generally the provision of a device of the character specified, which is efficient, economical and readily manufactured.

More specifically it is an object to provide a chilling unit which has a high heat absorption capacity and also has a suflicient bulk of metalmaintained at a relatively low temperature so that the use of brine as a storage medium for maintaining a constant low temperature is unnecessary.

It is also an object to providea chilling unit which is rugged, readily machined, and is readily put in place and removable from refrigerator casings. 1

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter. i

The lnvention accordingly comprises the features of construction, cornblnatlon of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claim.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and obj ects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: a

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing a chilling unit installed in a refrigerator casing in accordance with thepresent invention; i

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the chilling unit and refrigerator casing shown in Fig. 1, taken on the line. 2-2 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the chilling unit shown in Fig.1;

Fig. 4 is another vertical cross-section of the chilling unit shown in Fig. 1, but taken in alplane at right anglesto that shown in Fig.2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, similar to Fig. 4, which shows a modified form of chilling unit; and

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the chillin unit shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings andiparticularly to Fig. 1,10 denotes arefrigerator casing having an insulatingsidewall 11 and a top wall 12 enclosing a chillingspace. The top wall 12 is provided with aplurality of w securing means 13 depending from the inside surface of the top wall into the chilling space. These securing means may beof any convenient form, for example, threadedbolts secured in the insulating wall and depending into the raw chillingspace so as to have their shanks detachably connected to supportingblock 14 by which the chillingunit 15 is suspended in the chilling space.

The Ichillingunit 15 here shown comprises= a metallic box-like structure of double-walled construction, the double walls being shown at 16andf 17 respectivelyin Fig. 2.. From Fig. 4 itis also seen that the double walls extend across the rear of the chilling unit but IO are absent from the front. so that theunit encloses a secondary chilling space 18 accessible only from the front.

plurality of horizontal partitions, as shown-by 19, preferably are inserted andafl extendacross the secondary chilling space dividing the space into horizontal sections that are adapted to receive ice drawers 20 insertible from the front. These ice drawersare adapted to provide a supply of ice cubes 01*.80 the like when a freezing temperature is main tainedwithin the secondar chilling space 18.

The double-walled chi ling unit 15, as shown in Fig. dis an integral castingwhich has an openingat 21 in its exterior 'lower.85 wall through which cooled refrigerant or working fluid is suppliedby means of a suitable pipe connection, as shown at 22. A second opening 23 is preferably provided-in this lower wall at a distance from the first. This opening provides an alternative place at which theinlet connection may be attached. These openings 21 and 23 provide cleaning places through which the sand of the core employed when casting the unit maybe readily removed, as it is desired to have a relatively clean casting for service of the character indicated in the mechanical refrigerating systems. A third opening in the casting is provided at 24 in the rear wall near its 1m upper edge. This opening is positioned at the height at which it is desired to maintain the liquid level of the refrigerant or working fluid in the evaporating space between the 5 walls of the chilling unit. In this opening 24 is secured-an outlet-pipe connection-as showriin 25. 7

The integral casting here shown vis also provided with an opening 26 in the rear wall 10 chilling space 18, this opening havingan annular wall 27 boundingthesame and join ing both the inner and outer" rear walls of the chilling unit. This openingisprovided as a matter of convenience and provides good support to the interior cores: when: casting the integralunit here shown. The opening at 26 is preferably .closed and for: this purpose hasapluginsertedas indicated at 28. 3 The castingzcomprising.the chilling unit herein employedis of metal, having relatively good heat conductivity: A suitable. metal is, for example, cast iron, aluminum, copper, or 7 an alloy thereof; The walls oflthe casting are. relatively thick in order that the unit may. lprovidea storage efiect in lieu of brine and thus have a relatively large body of metal with a relatively. good specific heat that is maintained at a low temperaturewithin the chilling-space.oftherefrigerator. .The walls of this; chilling unitv areppreferably plain as theheat flow .therethrough is more uniform anda uniform, temperature differential ;on opposite. sides of the walls is to be maintained. Asi-it is desired to maintain a temperature at thesurfaceof the exterior. wall of the chilling unit which is substantially constant, it is desired that the means. which control the circulation: of refrigerant or working fluid ing unit shall be located on its exterior wall.

7 A- convenientwlocation for this purposeis on the rearwallof the chilling unit, the means for supporting the control device being here shownin the form 'of a wedge-shaped bracket 29 cast integrallyupon the rear. wall. This bracket may be machined and provided with suitable opening's',: as shown at '30 in Fig. 6, byi'which the ,controlmeans is secured. The

" ,evaporatingspace of the chilling unit 15 is, of

course,--herinetically sealed, and all openings through its walls which do not have pipe connections secured therein are closed by suitable means,-xfor example,- by-plugs as shown at 23': in Fig. 4.. v i The means for'securing the chilling unit of the :present invention in the refrigerator, cas- 'ing are of a character which can readily be manipulated from the front of the refrigerator= casing-when thedoor, '11-is swung open. -The supporting blocks 14,. as shownin Fig. 4, are preferably in the form of rectangular frames having open sides (see Fig. 3) through which the ends of bolts and nuts are accessi- -.ble;:for manipulation-,The shank'sjof the which is a" thru-openingto the secondary" which is not integralbut 1s assemble and when interposedbetween the :plate 160 greater. with: a bracket 29 for supporting the control "jeoting up from the top *wallof the chilling 7 unit 15. Four lugs150 are shown, a less number, however,.may.be used, as is well understood.

In.assen1bly.it is seen that after the castings for the chilling unit have been cleaned 30 and machined and have their openings, which are not to "be used in the circulation .of'refrigerant, properly: closed, are first 'made ready by :attaching supporting blocks 14: t0 thelugs 150 prior to the chilling units being suspended from the top-.of the refrigerator casing. In order to suspend the chilling unit "in place it is raised to a position in the refrige'rator casing such-that the depending bolts 13 pass through the top membersl ll ofmo the supporting blocks 14,-Whereupon nuts 142 are slipped into place and screwed into engagement with the projectingends of bolts 13. The pipe connections may then be made, the control means secured to bracket 29, and the ice drawers 20 slipped into place.

While in Fig. 1 to Fig.4 a chilling unit that is an integral casting'isshown, it is, also contemplated that a casting maybe employed so asfuoo to have substantially the thermal characteristicsof therchilling unit: herein shown. A'

modified arrangement for this purposeis shown'in Fig. 5 and 6. Here the chilling throughthe evaporating spaceof the chillunit 15, as originally cast, does not have a '1o5 rear-wall,- but has a separable rear end wall or plate 160 in the form of a cast plate that is adapted to be secured to the casing in a ner; for example by the insertion of a flexible, malleable metallic gasket 161 between the unit 1 and the plate 160; Suitable metallic gaskets for this purpose are made of lead 315 and the end portion, the chilling unit forms i a fluid-tight connections" The means-for securing the plate 160 is shown as comprising-a plurality of bolts 162 which pass through the plate 160 and engage withcoope'rating 'lzo recesses 163 formed as strengthening ribs164= about the open side wall portions of the unit.

The chilling unit thusprovided may be' 'more-readily cleaned than the. chillingunit shownin Figs. 1 to 4:, since the area :of the i opening through which access is had to the interionof the evaporating spaceis materially The plate 160 is shown as provided device.

The chilling unit of the resent invention is also preferably provide with means for determining when the refrigerating system of which it forms a part has been properly filled with cooled refrigerant or working fluid. Simple means for this purpose comprise an air cock 170 which is inserted in an opening in a side wall of the chilling unit at the elevation at which the liquid level is desired to be maintained. This air cock 170 may be of the ordinary key-operated variety and so located as to be readily accessible from the. front refrigerator casing when the door 11 is open. A convenient location of the air 1 cook 17 0 is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. When y the refrigerating system is to be charged with working fluid, the cock 170 is opened with the key so that air may escape while refrigerant or working fluid is flowing into the system.

- When sufficient refrigerant or working fluid has passed into the system, and the desired liquid level in the chilling unit has been attained, refrigerant will begin to run out of the cock 170. WVhereupon the cock 170 is as closed and the charging of the system discontinued, the system thereafter being hermetically sealed.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodi- 30 ments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a mechanical refrigerating system, a

chilling unit comprising a substantially plain double-walled metallic casting, said walls being shaped to be reentrant and enclosing a relatively narrow evaporating space, said casting having a prismatic form, the reentrant walls being arranged to envelope a secondary chilling space entered from a side of the casting, the exterior walls being provided with openings, circulating connections being attached to certain of said openings,

means for indicating when the system is properly filled in another'of said. openings, upstanding thickened wall members being disposed over the top and sides of said casting, certain of which are provided with at taching means whereby said casting may be suspended in a refrigerating box, and other thickened wall formations on the exterior of said casting whereby auxiliary mechanisms may be attached.

B0 in testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

STEPHEN M. MARTIN. 

